Wednesday, 18 January 2017

The rise and spread of dreaded Wahhabi culture in Andhra

The rise and spread of dreaded Wahhabi culture in Andhra

On Tuesday, a note from the National Investigation Agency read, "One
Mohammad Irfan has been arrested for actively taking part in the
activities of an Islamic State module which was planning a series of
attacks in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh."

The mention of Andhra Pradesh coincides with what the state's Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu
had said recently about a threat from the IS. The threat from the IS to
Andhra Pradesh was something that all of us saw coming. The setting up
of a university in the state was just the beginning of the dreaded
Wahabi culture setting in.

Despite opposition, the state did not do much to stop this university
from coming up. It was alleged that this university was getting funds
from Saudi Arabia to spread Wahabism in the state.It is a well-known fact that the Saudi-sponsored Wahabis are trying to
set up their own education system in Kerala. This is known in Kerala
where the Wahabis are trying to take over the mosques and the education
system as well. According to an Intelligence Bureau report, the Wahabis
have earmarked Rs 1,700 crore to spread this ideology.

Further, a breakdown of this amount would also show that Rs 800 crore
alone was to set up universities that propagate the Wahabi ideology
which is followed by the IS and al-Qaeda. There are four such
universities that have been planned in South India alone. While one has
already come up in AP, attempts would be made to set up the other three
in Kerala, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.
In AP and other states in
south India, there have been attempts made to take over the
administration of the mosques. However, the Wahabis have faced
resistance, as a result of which they have decided to set up their own
mosques. About 40 such mosques have been planned at an estimated cost of
Rs 40 crore. Several others would come up in AP as well, the IB report
states. Apart from this, a sum of Rs 30 crore has been earmarked to set
up madrasas in the southern states.

The birth of the Jamiat Ahl-e-Hadith took place in India in Jammu and
Kashmir. As a first step they wielded their influence on the various
mosques which began preaching the Sharia law as mandated by the Wahabis.
The
next stop was Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh following which they began
wielding influence heavily in Kerala, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and
Telangana. The Jamiat Ahl-e-Hadith was the umbrella body which oversaw
the flow of Wahabi scholars into India. The same outfit is also making
efforts to spread their ideology into Andhra Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh,
Bihar and until last year Karantaka.

This umbrella body has come up a strict set of guidelines that have to be followed. They would include:

Shrines shall be forbidden

Every Muslim woman should wear purdah or be subject to severe punishment

Men have to compulsorily grow beards

Women should not be allowed to work. Exception can be made only if the family is in need.

Men and women should not mingle together in public.

No weeping loudly at funerals.

Abide by the Shariat law; every offence committed shall be punishable under this law.

All men should wear trousers which are above their ankles.

No laughing loudly or listening to music; no dancing or watching television.